Having kids also means having to make a lot of decisions. Even giving birth entails decision-making: natural birth or painless delivery? Homebirth or hospital birth? With a doula or without? Once they are in this world, the act of choosing continues. Do you go for regular nappies or cloth diapers? Baby-led weaning or not? Strollers or babywearing? It’s endless. And of course this continues with their schooling. That is why we listed the preschool programs in the Philippines that you can enroll your kid.
Choosing the best preschool program for your kid
The good thing is as your baby grows you and your partner will eventually have someone to help you decide–your kid. Your child’s personality and inclinations will help you make decisions that affect him. Of course, this doesn’t mean being overly permissive; instead, it means taking into consideration his preferences as well.
The same can be said when it comes to choosing a preschool. You need to know what kind of preschool would benefit your child depending on his personality and interests.
Most preschools help promote the development and learning of young children through play-based activities in a child-centered environment. However, there are still various types of preschool programs in the Philippines.
Image by Cottonbro studio from Pexels
Types of preschool programs
When you start researching on preschools, you’ll find that there are different kinds of programs. Here are some of them.
- Montessori
- focuses on practical life, sensory, math, culture, and language
- Waldorf Steiner
- Play-based curriculum
- Reggio Emilia
- The High Scope Method
- Multiple Intelligences
- learning through the child’s multiple intelligences
For the full explanation, read this article from theAsianparent Singapore.
Preschool programs in the Philippines: What to look for in a preschool
The process of choosing a preschool for your child can be overwhelming. There are lots of things to take note of. The Harvard Graduate School of Education offers some tips to help you pick a preschool:
- nurturing environment – Look for a preschool wherein the adults are talking to children in an encouraging manner. These actions may go unnoticed, but it’s important to pay attention. This will also mean that the staff is focused on helping the child rather than punishing him.
- joyful and fun environment – A lot of children learn through play. Having a fun classroom adds to the ease of learning for kids.
- supported and happy staff – While your children are in school, the staff members will take care of them. Knowing that these people are happy gives you the assurance that the people teaching your child are well-cared for and are content in their jobs.
6 preschool programs in the Philippines
This preschool is present in six different countries namely Australia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Indonesia, and now, the Philippines. It was founded in Sydney in 1998 and is recognized as Singapore’s leading provider of premium preschool care. Here in the Philippines, it has five centers.
Preschool programs in the Philippines. | Image from MindChamps Internation Preschool Facebook page
- approach
- based on the 3-Mind Philosophy: the champion mind, the learning mind, and the creative mind
- espouses the SMILES program, which stands for sensory, motor, intellectual, linguistic, emotional, and social
- locations
- The Fort
- Greenhills
- Nuvali
- Ortigas
- Manila Bay
- contact information
- website: mindchamps.org/ph
- address: Penthouse Level, Jecoprime Building, 20th Drive, McKinley Business Park, Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City (near SM Aura & American Memorial Park)
- phone:
- (+63) 2 7553 1899 /
(+63) 906 486 0710
READ MORE:
Parent’s Guide: 7 ways you can prepare your child for preschool
4 parenting tips to prepare preschoolers for their first virtual class
Want to enroll your toddler to preschool? 7 signs that he is not yet ready
Image from Cambridge Pre-school Facebook page
Here’s another preschool from Singapore. It was founded in 1993 and has programs for children from 10 months up to 6 years old. It now has 24 centers in the country. Aside from those in the metro, it also has branches in Cebu and Davao.
- approach
- uses developmentally appropriate preschool programs with an interactive learning experience that takes into account the child’s individual needs, interests, and abilities
- founded on educational theories including multiple intelligences, ecological systems, Vygotskian framework, and Montessori methods
- location
- has 24 locations
- Metro Manila
- 3 in Makati
- Mandaluyong
- Manila
- Marikina
- Muntinlupa
- Pasay
- Pasig
- 5 in Quezon City
- San Juan
- Taguig
- Camarines Sur
- 2 in Cavite
- 2 in Cebu
- Davao
- contact information
Image from
This one espouses Canadian education, with 447 schools worldwide. It has a play-based program that is based on a child-centered and activity-driven methodology. It also prides itself in its immersion learning and bilingual education, which has been proven in 16 different countries.
- approach
- Canadian education
- play-based learning, bilingual education, immersion learning
- curriculum: English Language Arts, Personal and Social Development, Science, Creative Activity, Physical skills and well-being, Mathematics, Language development and acquisition
- locations
- BGC
- Eastwood
- Santolan
- Santa Rosa
- Vermont Park Antipolo
- contact information
Image from The ABBA’s Orchard Facebook page
If you are leaning more toward Montessori learning, The Abba’s Orchard is a good choice. Its educational approach is based on Maria Montessori’s framework. It has programs for infant community, casa (preschool), elementary, and erdkinder. To date, it has 13 locations nationwide including Visayas and Mindanao.
- approach
- espouses 2 core Montessori principles
- Principle 1: Children teach themselves
- Principle 2: The planes of development
- learning areas are practical life, sensory, development, mathematics, and language
- staff ratio is 25 children to 2 adults
- locations
- Antipolo City – Taktak Road
- Fort Bonifacio – Mckinley Hill
- Muntinlupa City – Westgate, Alabang
- Quezon City – Blueridge
- San Juan City – Greenhills
- Taguig City – Bayani Road
- Tagaytay – Sta. Rosa Road
- Cebu City – Magsaysay Road
- Cebu City – Tandang Sora
- Bukidnon – La Granja Estates
- Cagayan de Oro City – Alwana
- Davao City – Obrero
- Davao City – RGA
- contact information
Image from Maya Forest Preschool
This is the first Deped recognized forest preschool in the country. It lies in the heart of Sampaloc, Manila, and has a one-hectare enclosed natural forest surrounding the school. Children have the chance to be one with nature and have space to run and climb. Kids 3 years old are under the Explorers Program; Four-year-olds are Rangers; and Five-year-olds are Kinder.
- approach
- forest preschool
- advocating outdoors and learning in nature
- focuses on the following:
- The ability to focus on a single activity
- Ability to understand and follow directions
- The ability to cope with disappointment and frustration
- The empathy to think beyond themselves
- location
- Ang Gubat Sobriedad
Cor H Ventura streets,
Balic-Balic Sampaloc,
Manila, 1008 Metro Manila
- contact information
Image from Rainbow Room Learning Center
This preschool fosters the lover for learning. It has two campuses in Mandaluyong. It has four programs: pre-nursery or twinkle class, nursery class or stars class, junior kinder or sunshine class, and senior kinder or sunshine class.
- approach
- provides experiential activities
- guided by the following philosophies:
- Children are unique individuals.
- Children’s natural work is play.
- Children are constructivist of their own knowledge.
- A child’s learning is fully developed through home-school-community partnership.
- Children are capable of understanding good citizenship at a young age by exposing them to activities that would promote social justice.
- locations
- RAINBOW ROOM LEARNING CENTER
Children’s Center, Tivoli Garden Clubhouse
Tivoli Garden Residences
Mandaluyong City
- MARTINEZ CAMPUS
177 Martinez St. Mandaluyong City
- contact information
